What is a container semi-trailer?

Container semi-trailers are specialized transport vehicles designed specifically for carrying containers. In the early stages of container transportation, when the load capacity and number of containers were limited, conventional trucks were predominantly utilized. However, since the 1960s, the advent of container shipping has spurred the development of vehicles explicitly tailored for container transport by various nations. The loading area of container semi-trailers is engineered according to standard container dimensions and includes twist lock devices positioned at the four corners of the container's base to secure it properly.

These innovative container transport solutions generally take the form of articulated combinations known as car trains. Within this configuration, the predominant setup is the container semi-trailer, although full-trailers and double-trailers are also present.

Container car trains consist of two primary types of semi-trailers: the flatbed and the skeleton. The flatbed semi-trailer features a spacious cargo platform allowing for the transport of both containers and lengthy cargo, showcasing high efficiency during operations. On the other hand, the skeleton semi-trailer has a skeletal frame without a dedicated loading platform. When a container is placed onto this unit and secured using twist locks, the container itself functions as part of the structural strength of the semi-trailer. This design of skeleton semi-trailers is exclusively for container transport, providing advantages such as reduced weight, straightforward construction, and ease of maintenance.

According to their design, container semi-trailers can be classified into two main categories: straight frame and gooseneck. Straight frame semi-trailers are ideal for flat-bottomed containers, whereas gooseneck semi-trailers are uniquely engineered for containers with grooved bases, effectively lowering the loading height.